Is Ethical Hacking Legal and How Does It Different From Malicious Hacking?

People immediately equate the word with hacking through cyberattacks whenever they hear about it. Yet in a modern technologically progressive era, there is an added category of cybersecurity professionals designated as ethical hackers, who hack the hackers.

A moral hacker plays a very important role in the cybersecurity industry.  Ethical hackers require the skills, talent, and experience required to do risk assessments and scan systems for safety weaknesses.  To protect companies from attacks, they are all conducted against potential security weaknesses, vulnerabilities, and fracture scenarios.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the cybersecurity industry will only grow in the coming few years.  Within the next five years, employment projections show a 33% growth boost for job titles like cybersecurity analyst.  

Hacker Types

The meaning of the terms "hacker" and "hacking" is negative more often.  To acquire illegitimate access, malicious hackers many times are good programmers as well as masters at coding besides remapping hardware as well as software systems.  But the hacker is not a cyber-criminal necessarily, nor are hackers a homogenous batch.

Hacking is the purpose of manipulating computer devices to corrupt or destroy operating systems.  It also allows hackers to collect user information, steal sensitive documents and data, and perform other disruptive data-related operations.

Most hackers belong to one of three main categories, but they can be both malicious and benevolent.  The three main types of hackers are authorized, unauthorized, and grey-hat hackers.  The motives and intentions of each type's activities differ.  Let's discuss each of these types of hackers and how they operate.

Unauthorized Hackers  

Malicious hackers are also known as unauthorized hackers or black-hat hackers.  These hackers often hijack computers and operating systems with their technical skills to steal valuable information.  To gain unauthorized access to computer systems and networks and steal secret company or personal data, unauthorized hackers will use various methods.

The hackers involved in most of the largest data breaches and exploits are often unauthorized intruders.  Most of them often target businesses with denial of service methods, malware, and social engineering.

Authorized Hackers

Most people in the information security industry call authorized hackers ethical hackers, sometimes white-hat hackers.  Authorized hackers will attack systems based on laws and permissions, but most unauthorized hackers do not.  They are required to carry out their activities according to laid-down laws, access permits, and a code of ethics.

Companies or customers usually directly employ certified hackers to simulate running operating systems, hardware, software, and network vulnerabilities.  They will utilize their skills, talent, and knowledge of hacking to help companies make their defenses better against intrusions.

Grey Hat Hackers  

There is a third type of hacker that is a mix of both sanctioned and illegal hacking.  These hackers are commonly called "grey-hat" hackers.  Individuals who use the exploitation of security vulnerabilities to bring them to the attention of others are "grey-hat" hackers.  Not only do these hackers not necessarily adhere to a code of ethics such like sanctioned hackers, but they also do not have the ill intent that is normally characteristic of unauthorized hackers.

Certifications and Competencies Required for Ethical Hackers

A cybersecurity certification provides individuals with the moral hacking, which is a technical profession with special knowledge.  A bachelor's degree in information technology or a similar degree in a related field, such as technology or cybersecurity, is still necessary for the most moral hacking career.  However, many companies place more emphasis on experience and credentials than on degrees for job candidates.  The best moral hackers use all three: certificate, experience, and a degree.

These certifications and competencies prove that Ethical Hacking is legal to proceed. Also, moral hackers should possess knowledge of infrastructure technology, for instance, Citrix, Microsoft Exchange, virtualization, Linux servers, and Cisco network controls.  Top jobs require exposure to more than one programming language and skills in computer programming.

Aside from their education and experience, some organizations will also require certifications from ethical hackers.  Of the industry qualifications, the best-known are CompTIA PenTest+ and EC-Council's Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH).  They test the skills and knowledge necessary for ethical hacking and information security.

The responsibilities and obligations of ethical hackers

The responsibilities of ethical hackers often go beyond legally penetrating networks to repairing security vulnerabilities.  The primary goal of an ethical hacker is to probe an organization's system, identify vulnerabilities, and repair them.

It is anticipated that moral hackers to follow specific guidelines in a bid to hack companies legally.  Before performing the security assessment, these suggestions need the approval of the system owner.

A moral hacker will also be in charge of the following additional tasks and responsibilities:

1. Pinpointing the network and operating system vulnerabilities in the technology infrastructure of a business.
2. Employ penetration-testing methods to demonstrate how easy it can be to start cyberattacks against their company.
3. Applying security evaluation models to illustrate how easy it would be for another entity to break into them.
4. Informing the owner or administrator of the system personally of any security vulnerabilities and weaknesses encountered within the system or network.
5. Keeping the findings confidential between them and the business or customer.
6. Erasing all traces of the intrusion to ensure that evil hackers cannot take advantage of the loopholes present in the system.

The Differences Between Malicious and Ethical Hackers

Ethical hacking is distinct from malicious hacking in several significant additional ways:

1. Ethical hackers are hired to identify weaknesses in systems without stealing anything.  Their main goal is to look only for weaknesses in the security of the system.
2. Aside from attempting to penetrate systems through illegal means, ethical hackers would then adopt other methods to test systems.  Further, they will utilize the ethical hacking methodology, which is a legal access behavior that imitates real attackers.
3. When conducting the tests that guide their work, ethical hackers follow a strict code of ethics.  This code prohibits them from revealing to anyone outside the customer or organization how they breached security controls.  An ethical hacker is thus more likely to be trusted by most businesses and organizations.

FAQs

How much does ethical hacking pay?

Experience and certifications may also boost remuneration.  The average income of ethical hackers in India is ₹51,230 per month.  Based on the salary scale, the average annual salary of certified ethical hackers in India is ₹517,569.

Is a hacking career good?

In recent years, ethical hackers have become very popular due to their regular and publicized cyberattacks.  The job market for cybersecurity is likely to increase over the next decade, particularly for ethical hackers, reports several sources.

Do hackers need a degree?

You do not need a college degree to be an ethical hacker.  But it could be beneficial.  An ethical hacker with a university degree has a solid computer science background, which they can utilize to better analyze and understand the attack techniques used by malicious hackers.